Ottawa joins growing list of places banning kratom sales

Ottawa just became the latest city to stop shops from selling kratom, a plant that comes from Southeast Asia. The city council made the call official in early April after seeing how people sometimes misuse it. Officials worry that unchecked sales could put residents at risk since the substance isn’t approved by health regulators like the FDA. Kratom leaves can act as both a stimulant and a sedative depending on how they’re used. People chew them, brew tea with them, or swallow capsules. The problem isn’t just the plant itself—it’s that some sellers mix it with other chemicals and don’t always label them properly. That makes it hard for users to know what they’re really taking.Local police gave 25 stores a heads-up two weeks before the ban took effect. The new rule covers kratom in all forms, plus related substances like extracts and tianeptine. Authorities point out these products aren’t tested for safety and can cause severe side effects. Reports link them to hallucinations, seizures, and even death in extreme cases. The move follows similar bans across Illinois towns. Some leaders hope the state will step in soon to create consistent rules. For now, Ottawa is treating this as a public health priority rather than leaving it to individual shops to decide what’s safe.